A Guide to Teaching Information Literacy
101 Practical Tips

Helen Blanchett, Chris Powis, Jo Webb

A Guide to Teaching Information Literacy: 101 Practical Tips by Helen Blanchett, Chris Powis, and Jo Webb is an excellent resource anyone teaching classes or giving presentations. It is practical for the first time instructor or for someone who has taught for quite a while. The tips in A Guide to Teaching Information Literacy apply to almost any teaching/learning situation.

The book is divided into three sections addressing the stages of instruction. There are lists of short tips for the stages, Planning, Delivery, and Activities. For example, under Planning, there are tips titled “Social learning”, “Facilitating learning”, and “Training Needs Analysis (TNA)”. The Delivery section gives an instructor tips on “Body language”, “Handouts”, or “Latecomers”. In the Activities section are methods of teaching, addressing class type and learning styles, including hints on “Audio feedback”, Podcasts”, and “Quizzes”.

The practical tips are usually two pages long although some go to four or five pages. After the explanation of the topic, there are bulleted lists for “Best For”, “More”, and “Watch Out”. “Best For” demonstrates what teaching situation benefits from the tip. “More” provides extra tips in addition to the advice provided. “Watch Out” has warnings of possible pitfalls to avoid when using the tip. A bibliography and/or further reading list follow some of the practical tips.

This is not like fiction for a reader to pick up and read from beginning to end. Instead, the table of contents is easy to follow for the reader to find the information required. The reader can choose the tips will help in the anticipated learning situation. Blanchett, Powis, and Webb suggest that a new trainer should read the “Planning” section through. After that, pick and choose the helpful hints. The hint on “Dominent participants” (p. 67), for example, describes different types of class participants who could be forceful in the session. The authors say “...a dominent participant is not necessarily being deliberately difficult”. The “Watch Out’ section includes this statement – “...but do not let them disrupt your session to the detriment of others....” These hints that assist any trainer.

Blanchett, Powis, and Webb have also included tools from different specialty groups and educators. For example, a teacher can find the SCONUL The Seven Pillars of Information Literacy Model chart (p. 150). There are sample assignment sheets, flow charts, check lists, and more tools to help a trainer present a good learning session.